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I can’t figure out the second, but the first makes sense. It’s not funny, but it makes sense.
When he was made of wood, he couldn’t get splinters. Thus, a splinter proves that he’s no longer made of wood, and is a real boy.

I concur with Arthur, both on his explanation, and the fact that it’s not funny.
As for the Non Sequitir gag, it has NOTHING to do with Pinocchio, except that he is the only fairy tale fibber–but he doesn’t fit the joke at all.
And Charlene, I can’t think of an Arlo-worthy take on the first strip. Did you have one in mind, or do you suspect there might be one?

My take on the first cartoon is the same as Arthur’s. Nothing Arlo-worthy at all.

As for the second, it isn’t specifically about Pinocchio; he’s just a fairy-tale character who, in the creepy dad’s version of real life, would have received a pardon instead of the magical transformation that occurred in the original story. Note that, although it could in concept have been any of a number of fairy-tale characters, in practice there aren’t that many that meet the cartoon’s demands: well-known, male (“she got a pardon” doesn’t work, and a surprising number of well-known fairty-tale protagonists are female), working toward some sort of achievement or transformation that could be replaced by “he got a pardon.” Ali Baba might have been a better choice, though.

I figured the Libby joke was based upon Pinocchio’s inability to tell a lie and get away with it. Since he couldn’t lie, and you couldn’t let him tell the truth, you had to silence him. Thus, you have to either have him “whacked” or pardon him.

Everyone seems to have the second comic figured out better than I did since I don’t keep up with the news. As for the first one, I think it’s a joke about Pinocchio now getting splinters instead of giving them. I don’t think it’s Arlo page, since he was in a sandbox outside with a couple kids nearby. And as for why it’s in Italy, Pinocchio’s story took place there, of course. Come to think of it, the first one could be a different boy by the name of Pinocchio who believes he just reached manhood by getting a splinter.